New Windows NT PING.EXE Prevents Hanging Other TCP/IP Stacks

ID: Q163196

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Windows NT 4.0 version of the Ping utility (Ping.exe) to test IP communication to a network resource, the networked computer or other device may experience symptoms including one or more of the following:

The system may hang.

A Panic error may be displayed.

Other errors may occur.

CAUSE

Under some circumstances it is possible for the Windows NT Ping utility to send an IP packet which is interpreted as an invalid IP datagram.

RESOLUTION

Obtain the hotfix referenced below.

MORE INFORMATION

Computers running Windows NT, Windows 95, or Windows for Workgroups do not experience these problems, but they may occur on other systems such as Unix hosts, Macintosh computers, or network printers.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

For information on the updated version of Ping.exe for Windows 95, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q162542
TITLE : New Ping Tool Prevents Hanging Other TCP/IP Stacks

Additional query words: 95 prodnt crash ping of death

Keywords : kbnetwork kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 nttcp kbfix4.00.sp3 NTSrvWkst
Version : 4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug